American Force Wheels - Cost Effective AND Stylish
| april 2013 Cost Effective And Stylish ford F 350
Most people who use their truck for work pay attention to the operating costs. An eagle eye spots the best value for fuel and grabs it while it's still priced low (50-plus-gallon tanks come in handy when there's an unusual bargain). A smart entrepreneur keeps receipts for every detail of operating his or her rolling toolbox. And the really smart ones consider putting commercial truck tires intended for a medium-duty truck on their HD pickups for the cost savings, improved performance and, frankly, because they look so darn good!
For years, American Force Wheels in Miami, Florida, has been selling custom 19.5-inch big rig wheels that are machined into works of art. These wheels are unbelievably strong, and even with some of the metal cut away to create beautiful additions to your truck, they are still more than strong enough to get the job done.
The tire of choice seems to be Sumitomo, available in either "traction" or "all position" versions. Tire costs for all six ranges from $1,590 to $1,990. Two popular sizes are 245/70-19.5 and 225/70-19.5.
A set of wheels from American Force is about $2,900 (for a set of four custom wheels with two steel inner wheels). So your total is going to be $3,590 to $5,100. Yes, that's a lot of Benjamins. But you paid a premium to get your heavy-duty truck in the first place, right? So that shows you're a person who values expensive tools. A 19.5-inch wheel/commercial tire combination is not only beautiful, but also a tool.
| The Beast wheel from American Force looks a lot like a big rig wheel. It is actually from a medium-duty application.
What do you get for all that money? Longevity is the number one thing most people mention. Of course, most people feel they need to justify the initial cash outlay, and that's understandable. The typical hardworking HD truck owner gets around 25,000 miles out of a set of tires. These commercial tires can easily run down the road for 100,000 miles. We're not going to do all the math for you here. Figure it out. How much are you saving? And how many trips to the tire store and alignment shop have you saved yourself? You know that downtime spent getting new tires every few months is time when you aren't making money.
Stability is another benefit you will gain. Reports from truck owners with this wheel and tire combination report their trucks are more surefooted or stable—noticeably so. Looks are definitely a consideration, but you'll want to downplay that with your accountant and significant other! Surely, there are a whole lot of truck owners who simply want the look the wheels and tires offer, but that can't be justified on a piece of paper. That one is calculated inside your own head.
